Railway, Medical Examiner in Fight Over Video of Man’s Death

TACOMA, Wash. (AP) — BNSF Railway has gone to court to prevent the Pierce County Medical Examiner from obtaining video showing the moments before a man was killed by a train.

Medical Examiner Thomas Clark says his investigators need a copy of the video to determine the manner of death of 50-year-old Ronnie Stirgus. He was walking on snowy rails Feb. 5 in Puyallup before he was hit.

Clark tells The News Tribune reports that he used his subpoena power, by calling an inquest, to obtain the video.

BNSF called it an "illegal ruse." It has asked a Pierce County Superior Court Judge to stop Clark from enforcing a subpoena for the footage. The judge agreed April 12 to do that until a hearing next month.

In court records, the railway's attorney says it is company policy not to release the video to protect the family of the deceased and employees involved.